When I schedule a task in WinXP pro the status will say "Running" at the
proper time but the program does not appear to run, there is no sign of it on
the desktop. However, if I open the Task List there it is, I just can't use
it. Also when I end task from the Scheduled Task I get an error depending on
the program that was running. Excel did not like it very much.

"FatFinger" <FatFinger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:11EB37A7-1A42-4984-872F-5FEEBCBE5ABD@microsoft.com...
> When I schedule a task in WinXP pro the status will say "Running" at the
> proper time but the program does not appear to run, there is no sign of it
on
> the desktop. However, if I open the Task List there it is, I just can't
use
> it. Also when I end task from the Scheduled Task I get an error depending
on
> the program that was running. Excel did not like it very much.

Scheduled tasks are invisible when running under an account
other than the user's foreground account. Furthermore, scheduled
task are by their nature background tasks. They should not be
used to run interactive applications such as Excel. If you explain
what you're trying to achieve then someone can suggest the
most appropriate solution.

Ok, starting to make sense. What I would like to do is run Excel every day
because I have created an automated report that runs in Excel. If my "ghost
user" is not the foreground user when this task is running will my macro be
able to create a text file and close Excel automatically? I would do all of
this in regular VB but I don't have a lisence for it and the code is short.

"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

>
> "FatFinger" <FatFinger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:11EB37A7-1A42-4984-872F-5FEEBCBE5ABD@microsoft.com...
> > When I schedule a task in WinXP pro the status will say "Running" at the
> > proper time but the program does not appear to run, there is no sign of it
> on
> > the desktop. However, if I open the Task List there it is, I just can't
> use
> > it. Also when I end task from the Scheduled Task I get an error depending
> on
> > the program that was running. Excel did not like it very much.
>
> Scheduled tasks are invisible when running under an account
> other than the user's foreground account. Furthermore, scheduled
> task are by their nature background tasks. They should not be
> used to run interactive applications such as Excel. If you explain
> what you're trying to achieve then someone can suggest the
> most appropriate solution.
>
>
>

I think you have these options:

a) Run the scheduled task under the same account as the foreground
user, then let the foreground user interact with your spreadsheet.

b) Run the scheduled task under an account other than the foreground
user, then write your macro so that it performs the required task and
closes the spreadsheet when finished.

To find out how to write a macro to do this, post your question in
an Excel newsgroup. Alternatively you could use a Windows macro
recorder such as AutoIt. I'm not in favour of using such products
because of their lack of robustness: The slightest change in your
environment will cause them to fail.


"FatFinger" <FatFinger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9BADB7F6-2F65-4212-ADA3-D51740C5D598@microsoft.com...
> Ok, starting to make sense. What I would like to do is run Excel every
day
> because I have created an automated report that runs in Excel. If my
"ghost
> user" is not the foreground user when this task is running will my macro
be
> able to create a text file and close Excel automatically? I would do all
of
> this in regular VB but I don't have a lisence for it and the code is
short.
>
> "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:
>
> >
> > "FatFinger" <FatFinger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:11EB37A7-1A42-4984-872F-5FEEBCBE5ABD@microsoft.com...
> > > When I schedule a task in WinXP pro the status will say "Running" at
the
> > > proper time but the program does not appear to run, there is no sign
of it
> > on
> > > the desktop. However, if I open the Task List there it is, I just
can't
> > use
> > > it. Also when I end task from the Scheduled Task I get an error
depending
> > on
> > > the program that was running. Excel did not like it very much.
> >
> > Scheduled tasks are invisible when running under an account
> > other than the user's foreground account. Furthermore, scheduled
> > task are by their nature background tasks. They should not be
> > used to run interactive applications such as Excel. If you explain
> > what you're trying to achieve then someone can suggest the
> > most appropriate solution.
> >
> >
> >

Thanks, It works now. I had to log on as my "autorun" user to clear the
Microsoft pop ups when running Excel for the first time and to allow macros
for that user. I really don't need a user to interact with the report, I'm
just grabbing a bunch of data from my plant historian and putting into a csv
file that is named today's date. Everything worked except for the trigger,
now it works too.

Thanks again.


"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

> I think you have these options:
>
> a) Run the scheduled task under the same account as the foreground
> user, then let the foreground user interact with your spreadsheet.
>
> b) Run the scheduled task under an account other than the foreground
> user, then write your macro so that it performs the required task and
> closes the spreadsheet when finished.
>
> To find out how to write a macro to do this, post your question in
> an Excel newsgroup. Alternatively you could use a Windows macro
> recorder such as AutoIt. I'm not in favour of using such products
> because of their lack of robustness: The slightest change in your
> environment will cause them to fail.
>
>
> "FatFinger" <FatFinger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:9BADB7F6-2F65-4212-ADA3-D51740C5D598@microsoft.com...
> > Ok, starting to make sense. What I would like to do is run Excel every
> day
> > because I have created an automated report that runs in Excel. If my
> "ghost
> > user" is not the foreground user when this task is running will my macro
> be
> > able to create a text file and close Excel automatically? I would do all
> of
> > this in regular VB but I don't have a lisence for it and the code is
> short.
> >
> > "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > "FatFinger" <FatFinger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > > news:11EB37A7-1A42-4984-872F-5FEEBCBE5ABD@microsoft.com...
> > > > When I schedule a task in WinXP pro the status will say "Running" at
> the
> > > > proper time but the program does not appear to run, there is no sign
> of it
> > > on
> > > > the desktop. However, if I open the Task List there it is, I just
> can't
> > > use
> > > > it. Also when I end task from the Scheduled Task I get an error
> depending
> > > on
> > > > the program that was running. Excel did not like it very much.
> > >
> > > Scheduled tasks are invisible when running under an account
> > > other than the user's foreground account. Furthermore, scheduled
> > > task are by their nature background tasks. They should not be
> > > used to run interactive applications such as Excel. If you explain
> > > what you're trying to achieve then someone can suggest the
> > > most appropriate solution.
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>